Boot-tree



Nov 29, 192 7.

W. G. MOLAND BOOT TREE Filed March 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l a HMW HMMY FiLT i di f/ O J Nov. 29, 1927.v 1,650,846

W. G. MOLAND BOOT TREE Filed March 21.1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Indenifon wafillzam amozand,

Patented av. 29, 1927..

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WILLIAM G. MOLAND, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOOT-TREE.

Application filed March 21, 1925.

tion, and that if the same are merely placed in a closet or a convenient corner when not in use, they will quickly lose their shape and u portionof the boot tree with the central 70 standard shown in section, the view being become wrinkled and uncomfortable to the wearer. A

. The most common form of boot ,tree at present in use in connection with riding boots and the like consists of a lastlike form made of solid pieces of wood in separable sections whichiill out the entire interior of the boot. These devices, however, are very expensive, and are adaptableonly to the particular boots for which they are specially made, and have the additional objection that they afford no appreciable amount of ventilation in the interior of the boot, so that, when the boots are damp or wet, they have to dry out entirely from the exterior sur faces. Consequently, drying take place very slowly, and often the boots are not entirely dried out when they are again'required for use. This slow dryingalso tends to deteriorate the leather, thereby shortening the life-of the boot. y i

The object, therefore, of my present invention is to provide a simple, efiicient, and relatively inexpensive form of boot'tree which may be quickly and easily inserted in the boot, which when so inserted will afford a maximum of ventilation in the interior thereof, which will be readily adjustable for various sizes of boots, and which may be readily mounted on a suitable bracket secured to the floor or wall at the place where it is desired to keep the boots when the same t 1 piece 19, preferably made in hollow skeleton are not in use.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is aside elevation of a boot tree embodying the main features of my present invention, the same being shown in operative relationship with a boot in which the same is inserted, the boot tree being in turn mount V "respect to the bolt 18. A knurlednut 22 Serial No. 17,232.

ed on a bracket which, in this instance, is. shown secured to the floor; 1 1 Fig. 2 1s a side elevation of theboot tree proper, the same being shown removed from the boot;

Fig. 3 is an underneath plan view of the foot portion of the boot tree; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the boot tree,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal central section of the toe portion of the boot tree;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section thereof, taken approximately on the line 6 -6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an underneath plan view of a taken approximately on the line 7-.'( of Fig. l; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a bracket device adapted to support the boot tree, the 7 same being shown in position mounted on the Fig. 9 is a similar View of a supporting bracket, the same being shown mounted on a member '11 mounted on one end thereof.

Mounted on the other end of the standard 10 is a bifurcated bracket member 12, in which a bolt 13 i is mounted. Pivotally mounted on the bolt 13 is an arm 14:,the

free end of which carries a hollow semispherical member 15 adapted to engage the heel portion of the boot when the device is inserted within the same. An arm 16 is also pivotally mounted on the bolt 13, the end of the arm 16 being bifurcated so as to straddie the pivotal end of the arm 14: which, as hereinbefore stated, is also mounted thereon The free end of the arm 16 is also bifurcated, and supports a pivot pin 17, upon which one end of a threaded bolt member 18 is pivoted.

The bolt member 18 serves to support a toe the toe piece 19 (through which lugs the bolt 18 extends) are provided with complementally shaped apertures, thereby to prevent the toe piece 19 from turning with is threaded on the bolt 18, being positioned between the lugs 20 and 21, whereby the position of the toe piece 19 may be adjusted lengthwise on the bolt member 18, so as to permit the device to be readily used in connection with boots of various sizes.

The bifurcated bracket member 12 is provided with lugs or projections 23 and 24, which serve to prevent the arms 1 t and 16 from bending back and assuming improper positions with respect to the standard 10 when the heel and toe members of the device are being thrust into the foot portion of the oot.

Slidably mounted on the standard 10 is a yoke member 25, which serves to support hook members 27 and 28 at the outer ends of the arms 26 thereof. The hook members 27 and 28 are adapted to engage the tug straps of the boot, which are usually provided inside and near the top thereof. The hook member 27 is pivoted by means of a pin 29 to the end of one of the arms 26 of the yoke member 25, while the other hook -member 28 is secured to a threaded bolt 30,

which in turn is pivotally secured to the other arm 26 of the yoke member 25, by means of a pivot pin 31. This arrangement is provided to enable the hook member 28 to have a limited range of adjustment with respect to the yoke member 25, to compensate for dilierences in the location of the tug straps on the opposite sides of the boot, as it will frequently be found that the tug straps are not located the same distance from the bottom of the boot. A set screw serves to secure the hook member 28 in its adjusted position on the threaded bolt 30.

Pivotally mounted on the yoke member 25 is a latch member 34, one end of which carries a pin 35, which is adapted to engage one of a series of spaced apertures 36 provided in one of the side walls of the standard 10, a spring 37 serving to maintain the pin normally in engagement with one of said apertures. The latch member 34 has aprojecting arm 38 which is adapted to be manually engaged by the user while the yoke member is being brought to its proper position, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

For supporting the structure with the boot mounted thereon, there is provided a bracket member 10, having a base portion 41 which is adapted to be secured alternatively to the floor or to the wall at the desired location. The projecting portion 42 of the bracket 40 is preferably square in crosssection, complemental to the interior of the hollow standard 10, for the purpose of supporting the structure thereon (see Figs. 1 and 8). The projecting portion 42 of the bracket member 10 is also provided with a right-angular extension 13, which is also complemental in shape to the interior of the standard 10, this extension 43 serving to engage the end of the standard when the bracket member is mounted on the wall (see Fig. 9), and also serving as a stop to limit the extent of the engagement of the end of the standard 10 with the bracket member 40 when said bracket member is mounted on the floor, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8.

The operation of the device will now be readily-understood. The toe piece 19 having previously been adjusted on the bolt member 18 to the proper position in accordance with the size of the boot, the end of the structure in which the heel and toe pieces are pivotally mounted is inserted into the boot and pushed therein, so that, as the heel and toe pieces encounter the lower interior portion of the boot, and the structure is thrust farther inward, the arms 14 and 16, and the heel and toe pieces carried thereby, will be caused to assume the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, thereby to stretch the foot portion of the boot to the proper position. The knob-like member 11 on the other end of the standard 10 permits the requisite pressure to be imparted when the device is being inserted in the boot.

The latch member 33 is then manually actuated to cause the pin 35 to disengage the apertures 36 in the standard 10, to free the yoke member 25 and permit the same to he slid upon the standard 10. The hook members 27 and 28 are now caused to engage the tug straps of the boot, the hook member 28 having previously been adjusted on its bolt 30, as hereinhefore described, .to compensate for any inequality in the location of the tug straps on the respective sides of the boot.

The latch member being still held in a position free of engagement with the apertures 36 of the standard 10, the yoke member is then pulled upward until a snflicient tension is imparted to the leg portion of the boot to stretch the same to the required degree, after which the latch member 33 is released to cause the pin 35 to engage, under the tension of the spring 37, one of the apertures 36 of the standard 10, and thereby hold the yoke member 25 in fixed position to maintain the boot in the stretched condition. It will be understood that, when the tension is thus imparted, the heel and toe members will be maintained by such tension in their proper positions within the footportion of the boot.

The structure is now mounted on the bracket 40 which, as hereinbefore set forth, may be secured to the floor (as shown in Fig. 8) or to the side wall (as shown in Fig. 9). The boot will then be maintained in such position as to permit the air to cir- 1 culate -freely around the same and, by reason of the skeleton-like formation of the parts and the absence of solid members, the air will be permitted to circulate freely witlr in the interior as well, and in this manner the boot will be more quickly and thoroughly dried than is the case when solid boot trees are employed.

t will also be noted that the device is readily adjustable for various sizes and shapes of boots, so that it will not be necessary to purchase an individual pair of boot trees for each pair of boots.

Having thus described the nature and characteristic features of my invention, what i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A boot tree comprising a standard, heel and toe engaging members carried at one end of said standard, a yoke member slidably mounted on said standard, hook members pivotally connected to said yoke member and adapted to engage the tug straps of the boot, means for adjusting one of said hook members toward and away from its pivotal connection to the yoke member, and means adapted to lock the yoke member at desired locations on said standard.

2. A boot tree comprising a standard, heel and toe engaging members carried at one end of said standard, a yoke member slidably mounted on said standard, hook members pivotally connected to said'yoke member and adapted to engage the tug straps of the boot, means for adjusting one of said hook members toward and away from its pivotal connection to the yoke member, and manually operable latch mechanism adapted to lock the yoke member at desired locations on said standard.

3. A boot tree comprising a standard, heel and toe engaging members carried at one end of said standard, a yoke member slidably mounted on said standard, hook members pivotally connected to said yoke member and adapted to engage the tug straps of the boot, means for adjusting one of said hook members toward and away from its pivotal connection to the yoke mema manually operable latch member carried by the yoke member, and the standard having apertures aoapted to be engaged by a portion of the latch member to thereby lock the yoke member at desired locations on said standard.

l. A. boot tree comprising a standard, a pair of arms pivotally connected to one end of said standard, a heel piece carried by one of said arms, a toe piece connected to the other of said arms, a yoke member slidably mounted on said standard, hook members pivotally connected to said yoke member and adapted to engage the tug straps of the boot, means for adjusting one of said hook members toward and away from its pivotal connection to the yoke member, and means adapted to lock the yoke member at desired locations on said standard.

5. A. boot tree comprising a standard, a pair of arms pivotally connected to one end of said standard, a heel piece carried by one of said arms, a toe piece connected to the other of said arms, a yoke member slidably mounted on said standard, hook members pivotally connected to' said yoke member and adapted to engage the tug straps of the boot, means for adjusting one of said hook members toward and away from its pivotal connection to the yokemember, and manually operable latch mechanism adapted to lock the yoke member at desired locations on said standard.

6. A boot tree comprising a standard, a

pair of arms pivotally connected to one end of said standard, a heel piece carried by one of said arms, a toe piece connected to the other of said arms, a yoke member slidably mounted on said standard, hook members pivotally connected to said yoke member and adapted to engage the tug straps of the boot, means for adjusting one of Said hook members toward and away from its pivotal connection to the yoke member, amanually operable latch member carried by the yoke member, and the standard having apertures adapted to be engaged by a portion of the latch member to thereby lock the yoke member atdesired locations on said standard.

7. A boot tree comprising a standard, a pair of arms pivotally connected to the lower end of said standard, a heel piece carried by one of said arms, a bolt member pivotally connected to the other of said arms, and a toe piece adjustably mounted on said bolt.

8. A boot tree comprising a standard, a pair of arms pivotally connected to one end of said standard, a heel piece carried by one of said arms, a boltmember pivotally conlugs provided with apertures through which said bolt extends and by means of which said toe piece is mounted on said bolt, and a nut mounted on said bolt adapted to longitudinally adjust said toe piece on said bolt.

9. A boot tree comprising a standard, a pair of arms pivotally connected to one end of said standard, a heel piece carried by one of'said arms, a bolt'member pivotally connected to the other of said arms, a toe piece mounted on said bolt, said toe piece having lugs provided with apertures through which said bolt extends and by means of which said toe piece is mounted on said bolt,.and a knurled nut mounted on said bolt engaging said lugs and adapted to longitudinally adjust said toe piece on said bolt.

10. A boot tree comprising a standard, a pair of arms pivotally connected to one end of said standard, a heel piece carried by one of said arms, a bolt member pivotally connected to the other of said arms, a toe piece mounted on said bolt, said toe piece having lugs provided with apertures through which said bolt extendsland by means of which said toe piece is mounted on said bolt, and a .knurled nut mounted on said bolt interposed between and engaging said lugs and adapted to longitudinally adjust said toe piece on said bolt.

11. A boot tree comprising a standard, a pair of arms pivotally connected to one end of said standard, a heel piece carried by one of said arms, a bolt member pivotally connected to the other of said arms, a toe piece mounted on said bolt, said toe piece having lugs provided with apertures through which said bolt extends and by means of which said toe piece is mounted on said bolt, and a knurled nut mounted on said bolt interposed between and engaging said lugs and adapted to longitudinally adjust said toe piece on said bolt, said bolt having flat sides and the apertures in said lugs being complementally shaped to thereby prevent rotation of said too piece with respect to said bolt.

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM G, MOLAND. 

